Nailing machine



Jan. 23; 1 940. A I Q E. v. PATTERSON ET AL 2,183,117

NAILING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTO a; ATTORNEYS 1940- E. v. PATTERSON ET AL 2,138,117

NAILING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS L1 (W Pl; ATTORNEYS 23, 1940- E. v. PATTERSON ET AL 7 NAILING MACHINE Filed NOV. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 3 flair ATTORNEYS Jan. 23, 1940. E. v. PATTERSON ET AL 8,1

MAILING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 4 IE p '68 w fleziATTORNEYS Jan. 23, 1940.

E. v. PATTERSON ET A ,188,111

NAILING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1958 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 M 1x W ZeL r' ATTORNEY 5 wsm 1940- E. v. PATTERSON ET AL 2,188,117

NAILING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 2/18; ATTORN Jan. 23, 1940. I I E. v. PATTERSON m. 2,138,117

NAILING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 7 Jan. 23, 1940. E. v. PATTERSON ET AL 2,133,117

NAILING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 2&3 7.35

' INVENTORS .Pmfibraorv no 17. MC J80 Iii-:1, Xm 5 flair ATTO EYS 1940- E. v. PATTERSON ETAL' I 2,183,117

NAILING MACHINE Fi led Nov. 5, ,1958 l 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 Jan. 23, 1940. E. v. PATTERSON ET AL 2,183,117

NAILING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1938 16 Sheets-Sheet l0 INVORS 122-12 mfikrson/ 121/ lyaren ced fllqglmebf 751 Meg emembm Zia;- ATTORNEY S Jan. 23, 19401 E. V. PATTERSON ET AL MAILING MACHINE IGSheetS-Sheet 11 Filed Nov. 5, 1938 1 M fiez} ATTORNEY 3 May erecui'rzlz J 1940- E. v. PATTERSON El AL I 2,188,117

NAILING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1938 is Sheets-Sheet 12 JanQZS, 1940. E. PATTERSON ET AL 2,188,117

' NAILING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1938 '16 Sheets-Sheet 13 INVENTO Zia-k KBZfieraommJmA/hw I ATTORNEYS n- 23, 194 EN. PATTERSON ET AL 2,138,117

MAILING MACHINE l6 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed NOV. 5, 1938 RS Earle MiZikr-smm/MA.

BY Q a %cz}' ATTORNEYS 23, 1940- E. v. PATTERSON ET AL 2,188,117

NAILING MACHiNE 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed Nov. 5, 1958 Patented Jan. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES NAILING MACHINE Earle v. Patterson, Pittsford, N. 1., and Clarence -A. Macy, deceased, late oi. Rochester, N. Y., by

Susan R. Macy, execntrix, Rochester, N. Y signors to Morgan Machine n Il- Company, Inc.,

Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 5, 1938, Serial No. 239,104

58 Claim.

This invention relates in general to nailing machines and more particularly to a nailing machine adapted to make the panels of a packing or shipping case.

An object of this invention is the provision of a machine which is flexible. and is adapted to make panels having any desired length, width, thickness, or number of cleats, within the maximum capacity of the machine, nailed in any desired position at a single handling of the panel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel machine for nailing a plurality of strengthening bars or cleats to a sheet of board material such as ply-board to thereby form a panel for a ply-board box or shipping case for a refrigerator, radio, or other purposes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine, which is capable of nailing difierent lengths of cleats to a sheet or sheets of ply-board to thereby form a panel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a nailing machine for making cleated ply-board panels, which is sufliciently flexible to enable any desired number of cleats of any desired length. within the limits of the machine, to be nailed to a sheet of ply-board.

Another object of this invention is to provide a nailing machine for nailing cleats to a sheet of ply-board, wherein the nails may be driven, either in a straight line, or in a staggered relationship in various cleats of the same panel.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a nailing machine for making cleated panels wherein the number of nails fed to the machine may be automatically varied so as to vary the number of nails driven in accordance with the length of the cleat to be nailed.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a nailing machine having a variable cycle of operation variable in accordance with the number of cleats to be nailed so that any number of cleats may be nailed to the board in any desired position.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a movable panel stop automatically operable to enable it to be raised during the cycle of operation of the machine wherein a complete panel is formed with a single handling of the panel, to permit the nailing of a central cleat or a cleat spaced from the ends or sides of the plyboard.

This invention iurther contemplates anailing machine wherein means are provided for compensating for the decreased deflection of the machine parts caused when a lesser number than a. full complement of nails are driven, to the end that regardless oi the number of nails being driven they are always driven with their heads flush with the surface to which they are nailed.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, for example, the construction of the hopper stop, the arrangement of the ply-board. and cleat gauges, and the arrangement of the cleat lingers, will be.more apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine with the nail chucks, nail chutes, and nail drivers removed for the purpose 01' more clearly showing the main structural features of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine viewed from the left of Fig. 1 with the cross-head down in nailing position;

Fig, 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 with the cross-head up;

Fig. 4 is a plan view or a panel with the cleats nailed in position, and illustrating a panel which the machine of this invention is adapted to make;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the machine viewed from the right of Fig. 1 with the nail hopper locked in its upper inactive position, and with the nail chucks and hammers in staggered relationp;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5, but

showing only a portion thereof, with the outer nail chucks retracted;

Fig. '7 is a horizontal section through the machine, taken substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal, sectional view through the righthand side of the machine taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a view from the righthand side of the machine, somewhat similar to Fig. 6, showing the adjustable stops for limiting the movement of one set of nail chucks with respect to the other;

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the machine. similar to Fig. 1 but on an enlarged scale, showing the lefthand side of the machine with the cross-head up and with the nail chucks, part of the nail chutes, and the nail drivers in position;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line li-| I of Fig. 10 in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the nail chucks, nail chutes, and nail drivers;

Fig. 12 is a view, partly in section, from the lefthand side of the machine, showing in solid lines a cleat finger in inactive position, and in dotted lines the cleat finger in active position in holding engagement with a narrow cleat, and also showing the panel stop in the up orinactive position;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged, sectional view of a portion of Fig. 12 showing the auxiliary spring with which two or more of the cleat finger-operating arms may be equipped;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12, showing a cleat finger engaging a wide cleat with the auxiliary spring in operation and showing the panel stop in its down or active position;

Fig. 15 is a view taken substantially on the line l5|5 of Fig. 11 and showing the means for enabling adjustment of one set of nail chucks. with respect to the other;

Fig. 16 is a view, taken substantially on the line l6i6 of Fig. 14 in the direction indicated by the arrows, showing only the righthand side of the machine and showing the selective ratchet and pawl arrangement for operating the panel stop in synchronism with the operations of the machine;

Fig. 17 is a view taken substantially on the line l'|l| of Fig. 16, in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the active ratchet when five or eight cleats are to be nailed to the plyboard;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to that of Fig. 17, showing the panel-stop-operating mechanism set for making a five-cleat panel;

Fig. 19 is a view similar to that of Fig. 18. taken substantially on the line l9-|9 of Fig. 16 in the direction of the arrows, showing the active ratchet for either a six or seven cleat panel and showing the panel-stop-operating mechanism set for making a seven-cleat panel;

Fig. 20 is a view taken substantially on the line 20-20 of Fig. 1'7 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 21 is a view looking at the righthand side of Fig. 16 and showing the cams adapted to be set for nailing either five, six, seven or eight cleats to a sheet of ply-board;

Fig. 22 is a top plan view of Fig. 21 and illustrating how the cams are moved from active to inactive position;

Fig. 23 is a view taken substantially on the line 23-23 of Fig. 22, and showing a cam in its active position;

Fig. 24 is a perspective view of a nail driver guide and retainer;

Fig. 25 is an enlarged View of a portion of Fig. 5, shgwng the gear train for driving the nail feed discs, and showing how the gears may be quickly changed to adapt the machine for different purposes;

Fig. 26 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 26-26 of Fig. 25 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 27 is a view, partly diagrammatic, showing the nail feed discs arranged for nailing five cleats to a sheet of ply-board;

Fig. 28 is a view similar to that of Fig. 27, showing the nail feed discs arranged for nailing seven cleats to a sheet of ply-board;

Fig. 29 is a view, taken substantially on the line 2929 of Fig. 27 in the direction indicated by the arrows, showing the worm and wormwheel drive for the nail feed discs;

Fig. 30 is a view showing the nail-feeding worm and Worm-wheel drive, and showing the method of adjusting one section of the worm drive with respect to the other;

Fig. 31 is a View, taken substantially on the line 3l3l of Fig. 30 in the direction indicated by the arrows. showing one half of the coupling for the sectional worm drive;

Fig. 32 is a view. taken substantially on the line 32-32 of Fig. 30, showing the other half of the coupling;

Fig. 33 is a view, partly in section, showing the mechanism for disengaging the hopper from its drive;

Fig. 34 is a sectional view through the hopper actuating rod;

Fig. 35 is a view from the righthand side of the machine, showing the mechanism for varying the height of the driving plate oi. the crosshead with the mechanism set for nailing a short cleat to a sheet of ply-board (cross-head up);

Fig. 36 is a view, taken substantially on the line 36-36 of Fig. 10 in the direction indicated by the arrows, with the machine set for nailin a long cleat;

Fig. 37 is a view similar to that of Fig. 35, with the mechanism set for nailing a long cleat (cross-head down) Fig. 38 is a view, taken substantially on the line 38-38 oi! Fig. 10 in the direction indicated by the arrows, showing the machine set for nailing a long cleat (cross-head down);

Fig. 39 is a view, similar to that of Fig. 38, showing the machine set for nailing a short cleat (cross-head down);

Fig. 40' is a view taken substantially on the line 40-40 01' Fig. 38 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 41 is a view taken substantially on the line 4 |-4l of Fig. 39 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 42 is a vertical sectional view through the table, showing a sheet of ply-board in position for nailing the central cleat of the panel, and filth the panel stop in its up, or inactive, posi- Fig. 43 is a view similar to that of Fig. 42, showing a sheet of ply-board in position for nailing one of the intermediate cleats of a seven-cleat panel with the panel stop in the up, or inactive, position;

Fig. 44 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 42, showing one of the intermediate panel-positioning stops;

Fig. 45 is a top plan view of the intermediate stop shown in Fig. 44; and

Fig. 46 is a view of a panel with seven cleats nailed in position on the lower side thereof.

The machine of this invention is adapted for the making of board panels such as ply-board panels for use in making shipping cases, packing cases, crate sections and other forms of containers, such as shipping cases for refrigerators, radios, etc. While for purposes of illustration this machine will be described in connection with the making of a panel of ply-board, other materials may be used. Such other materials include chip-board, paper-board or corrugated paper-board. Further, while this machine will be described in connection with the making of cleated panels, certain features of the machine have general application and may be applied to other types of nailing machines. The panels for the containers or packing cases, due to the various sizes of packing cases required by industry, are of various lengths, widths and thicknesses and require for strengthening purposes various numbers and arrangements of cleats depending upon the size and shape of the panels.

One of the features of this machine is its flexa,1es,111

ibility. That is, within the limits of the machine. any number of cleats, or any length or width of cleats, may be nailedto the ply-board by suitably adjusting the machine, as will presently appear. The machine, for example. is adapted to make .a panel such as that shown in Fig. 4, wherein flve cleats are nailed to the ply-board. indicated by the letter A: a short cleat B adjacent the center of the panel, another shortcleat C at the top edge-of the panel, a short, but wide, cleat D at the bottom of the panel, and two long cleats E at the side edges of the panel. The machine is also adapted to. nail, for example, 6, 7 or 8 cleats to a sheet of. ply-board. In Fig. .46 a seven-cleat panel has been illustrated, which, in addition to the cleats B, C, D and E, is provided with intermediate cleats F, one located between the central cleat B and the top cleat C, and the other located between the center cleat B and the bottom cleat D. It will be appreciated as the description progresses that the cleats may be nailed to the panel in any desired arrangement.

For example, a sixth cleat could be added to the panel of Fig. 4 extending perhaps from the cleat B to the cleat D centrally of this portion of the panel or in any other desired position.

The sheets of ply-board are placed on a' substantially horizontal surface or table, indicated as a whole by the numeral 50, and guided or 'controlled by suitable guides, abutments or stops as they are slid over the surface of the table, a cleat or strengthening bar. having previously been placed in nailing position beneath the ply-board, as shown, for example, in Figs. 12 and 33. When the ply-board and the cleat to be nailed to the ply-board are in position, a foot treadle 5| or other manually operated device is operated to actuate, by suitable mechanism to be described, a cross-head or driver head, generally indicated by. the numeral 52, to actuate suitable nail driving mechanism, shown more clearly in Fig. 11, to nail the cleat to the panel. The nails are automatically fed to the nail driving mechanism each time the cross-head is actuated through suitable nail-feeding mechanism. The nailing machine of this invention is adapted. to drive thirty nails simultaneously, or any desired lesser number of nails. However, it will be appreciated that the machine may be arranged to drive a still greater number of nails at the same time, if desired.

The main frame 56 of the machine comprises a pair of base members 51 (Figs. 1 and 12) which are integrally formed with a pair of side stands 58. The side stands 58' are connected by a boxshaped cross-beam 59 bolted to the side stands (Fig. 12) near the .bottom thereof, and an L- shaped beam or sill 60 bolted to the side stands as shown near the top thereof. The side "stands of the main frame at their outer sides are each provided with a slide or way 62 (Figs. 1, 6, '7 and 8). The ways extend substantially the full height of the side stands.

The main part of the table 50 comprises a crossbeam 63 (Fig. 12). Bolted, as indicated at 53, to each end of the cross-beam 63 in a plate or gib 64 (Figs. 2 and 7). The side edges of gibs are provided with flanges which engage the ways 62 formed integral with the side stands, as shown at 65 (Figs. 6 and 7). Bolted to the gibs 64 of the table is an apron 66, which extends across the front of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1. Bolted to the other side of the cross-beam 69 is an angle bar 61, which extends across the machine. Secured to the angle 61, in any suitable ed on the end thereof a hand-wheel 83.

- the bolts from their bosses, the brackets 69 may be raised. The top level of the plate II is coincident with the top of the cross-beam 68 and the apron 66, so that a continuous level table surface is provided for receiving the work such as the ply-board panel and the cleats or strengthening bars to be nailed thereto.

The entire table 00 is preferably arranged so that it may be raised or lowered by sliding it upward and downward in the ways 62 of the main frame 56 by means of a pair of table support rods I2 (Fig. l). The upper ends of the support rods 12 are threaded as indicated at I8 (Fig. 12) and the threaded ends are received in a pair of threaded bosses I4 suitably secured to the cross-beam 63. The lower ends of the table support rods I2 are suitably carried by the main frame, as indicated at 15 (Fig. 1), and the lower ends thereof are provided with bevel gears I6. The bevel gears 16 mesh with bevel gears 'II rigidly mounted on a shaft I8. The shaft I8 is suitably journalled, as indicated at 19, and has rigidly mounted thereon a driven bevel gear 80. The bevel gear meshes with a driving bevel gear 8I rigidly secured to the end of a spindle 82. The spindle 82 projects upward and toward the side of the machine, and has mount- Upon rotation of the hand-wheel 83, the shaft I8 is rotated, and through the bevel gears I6, I1, the

' table support rods 12 are rotated to thread the table support rods I2 into or out of the bosses I4 to thereby raise or lower the table 50, as

desired.

Journalled in the main frame of the machine, as indicated at 90 (Fig. 1), and supported at substantially its center by a bearing 9I, is a main shaft 92, from which preferably all of the driven elements .of the machine, with the exception of the nail hopper oscillating mechanism, are driven. The main shaft is driven by means of a suitable gear train, shown more clearly in Figs. 1, 2 and 7, adapted to accomplish a speed reduction and enable the use of a high speed motor. Power from any suitable source, such as an electric motor, is applied to a drive shaft 93, which is suitably journalled in an auxiliary side stand 94. On the drive shaft 93 is mounted a driving pinion 95, which meshes with a large gear 96. The large gear 96 is loosely mounted on the mainshaft 92, the main shaft being suitably journalled in the auxiliary side stand 94, as indicated at 91. Also loosely mounted on the main shaft 92 but rotatable with the large gear 96, is a gear 98. The gear 98 meshes with a gear 99. The gear 99 is rigidly secured to a shaft I00, journalled in the auxiliary side stand Rigidly secured to the end of the shaft I04 is supported by a bearing tration as any suitable means may be employed for agitating the hopper to cause the nails to feed from the hopper.

The eccentric disc II'l has encircling it an eccentric strap I I8, to which is secured a hopper-operating rod II9. As shown in Fig. 34, the hopper-operating rod is slidable in a bore formed in an extension I20 of the hopper-operating rod IIO. As the hopper-operating rod is oscillated it engages the end of the bore of the extension and causes the extension to partake of the movement of the hopper-oscillating rod, A shaft I2I (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) extends across the rear of the machine and is journalled in rearwardly extending arms I22 of the side stands 58. A crank I23, having one end rigidly secured to the shaft I2I, and the other end secured to the extension I20 of the hopper-operating rod, serves to transmit the oscillating motion of the hopperoperating rod to the shaft I2I. The shaft I2I has also rigidly secured to it a plurality of links I24, preferably three one for each hopper, the outer ends of which are bifurcated to receive pins I25. The pins I25 are mounted in the bifurcated ends of the links I24 and are adapted to pivotally receive links I26. Each of the links I25 is pivoted, as shown at i2! (Figs. 2 and 3), to a bracket carried by a hopper I28.

As shown in the drawings, three hoppers are provided, but obviously an additional or lesser number of hoppers may be employed. The hoppers are of well known construction and are not shown in detail herein, as their construction per se constitutes no part of this invention. The hoppers are adapted to receive nails, and their forward portions are provided with a plurality of slots into which the nails slide point downward as the hoppers are oscillated. Each of the hoppers is pivoted to the rearwardly extending ends of a support or head I35, as indicated at M6, and swings from a position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the rear of the hopper is lowermost. to a position shown in Fig. 2, in which the rear of the hopper is uppermost. The slots in the hopper are of suflicient width to enable the nails to hang downward through the slots with the heads of the nails carried in the margins of the slots. The head I35 is secured through extensions I3'I to the L-shaped beam or sill 60 (Figs. 2, 3 and 11). The heads i35 also carry plates or slats I38 which extend downward on a slant from the hoppers. The slats I38 are also provided with nail slots i39, which register with the nail slots in the bottoms of the hoppers, so that as the hoppers are oscillated, the nails slide downward into the nail slots H9, and depend below the plate I38, as shown in Fig. 29.

One of the important features of this invention, is the provision of means for interrupting or stopping the oscillation of the hoppers without shutting down the machine. Normally, when the machine is started at the start of a work period, the motor and the driving gear train are kept running continuously, the main shaft 92 being operated to perform nailing operations intermittently through a clutch, as will be presently described. Since the gear train, which actuates the hopper-operating rod, is running continuously, under normal conditions of operation, the hoppers are continuously oscillated. At times, the machine operators are interrupted in their work as, for example, if they are waiting for additional sheets of ply-board or additional cleats. It is desirable under these conditions to stop the hoppers without stopping the motor. The desirability of stopping the hoppers, if the nailing operations of the machine are interrupted for any, period of time, arises due to the fact that (considering Fig. 5) nails carried by the slats of the hoppers are continuously being fed into the slots I30 formed between the slats. These nails, with the continued oscillation of the hoppers, are moved at an angle to each other. That is, the nails in the slots I38 are moved and at the low position of the hoppers extend at an angle to the nails in the hoppers. If the slots I30 become full, the angular movement of the nails in the slots I30 with respect to the nails in the slots in the hoppers may cause the nails to Jam and become bent substantially at the connections or hinge points I35.

While an interruption of the oscillation of the hopper might be accomplished by using a clutch in the driving gear train, interruption of the oscillation of the hoppers may-be more simply accomplished by the mechanism shown herein. Secured rigidly to the shaft I 2I (Fig. 2) is a latch element I40, which oscillates with the shaft I 2I. Pivoted to a bracket I, carried by the sill 80, is a second latch element I42 (Fig. 33) A hopper throw-out rod I43 extends forward from the rear of the machine, and is carried by bracket I44. The hopper throw-out rod has on its rearward end a pair of collars I45, which serve as stops for springs I46. A pair of collars I41 are loosely mounted on the hopper throw-out rod I43, and serve to retain between them the upper end of the latch element I42, which is provided with an enlarged aperture I48 for receiving the hopper throw-out rod I43. The forward end of the hopper throw-out rod is provided with a pair of notches I49, selectively receivable in the margins of an aperture formed in the bracket I44. The outer end of the hopper throw-out rod is provided with a handpiece I50, by which the rod may be operated. A spring I5I normally retains the hopper throw-out rod in the desired position.

When the operator desires to interrupt the oscillation of the hopper, he pulls the hopperthrow-out rod I43 from the position shown in Fig. 33 to its outermost position, thereby compressing the rearward spring I45 and moving the latch element I42 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 33. In this position, as shown in Fig. 5, the latch element i 42 is in the path of movement of the latch element I40, so that the next time the latch element I40 moves to its uppermost position, during the normal oscillation of the hopper, the end of the latch element I40 cams the end of the latch element 2 aside, so that the latch elements may engage as shown in Fig. 5. In this position of the parts the hopper-operating rod II9 may oscillate freely in the bore of the extension I20, engaging the end of the bore only at the extreme end of its oscillation. Thus, while the latch elements I40 and I42 are engaged, the latch element I40 is lifted slightly at each oscillation of the hopper-operating rod, but not to a sufficient extent to release the latch element I40 from the latch element I42.

When the operator desires to restore the normal oscillation of the hopper, he pushes inward on the hopper throw-out rod I 43, thereby compressing the forward spring I45 (as viewed in Fig. 33) and thus tending to urge the latch element I42 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in 

